Overcoming the Innovator’s Dilemma: Insights on Healthcare Leadership

This episode of the “More Health, Less Healthcare” podcast features host Peter Boland in conversation with Ann Somers Hogg, Director of Health Research at the Christensen Institute, for a lively, practical look at what real innovation in healthcare takes—and why even good leaders often struggle to make it happen.Listeners will hear how the Christensen Institute applies Clay Christensen’s innovation theories to healthcare, the core components of business model theory, and why the “Innovator’s Dilemma” keeps successful organizations from disrupting themselves when it matters most. Summers walks through a six-question test to assess whether an idea is truly disruptive, illustrates why business models—not technology alone—drive meaningful change, and shares examples like MinuteClinic to show how “good enough” solutions can transform access and convenience. The episode closes with cautious optimism about the role of generative AI in supporting clinicians and mental health through augmentation rather than replacement, offering leaders concrete ways to rethink innovation and make care better, not just more expensive.Ann Somers is the director of health care research at the Clayton Christensen Institute where her research focuses on the structural pathways to improve health. This includes business model design, leadership approaches, customer orientation, and innovation strategy. Prior to joining the Institute, Ann Somers worked for Atrium Health (now Advocate Health), where she served as the AVP of Strategy and Transformation. She started her career in consulting at Oliver Wyman, working to develop value-based care strategies for large payers.Ann Somers holds an MSPH in Health Policy and Management from UNC-Chapel Hill and a BS in Commerce from the University of Virginia. She lives in Richmond, Virginia with her husband and two children.